Syria conflict: UN suspends peace talks in Geneva - BBC News | The Pentagon’s Top Threat? Russia - The New York Times Editorial | Report: Record Number of Exonerations in US in 2015 | In a first, judge grants retrial solely on FBI hair ‘match’ - The Washington Post | Shadowy Companies, Big Bucks: Election Mystery Money Returns - ABC News | Kurdish Independence, Islamic State: Kurdish Leader Demands Non-Binding Referendum On Independence From Iraq | The Ayatollah’s Drug Dealers - WSJ | DNA traces found of U.S. Marines killed in helicopter crash off Hawaii - Reuters | Putin's Out-of-Control Creature in Chechnya | Obama sits in back seat of Russia’s “shock and awe” drive in Syria


Latest News


Committee Chairman Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) questions witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled ‘Whistleblower Retaliation at the FBI: Improving Protections and Oversight’ on March 4, 2015. The hearing follows a Government Accountability Office report which disclosed that whistleblower protections at the FBI are weaker than other government agencies and that current procedures could discourage whistleblowing. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
How FBI blocks whistleblower fighting dismissal; new bill could help others - The Washington Post


A helicopter view of the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Md., is seen on Jan. 28. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
National Security Agency plans major reorganization - The Washington Post:
The National Security Agency, the largest electronic spy agency in the world, is undertaking a major reorganization, merging its offensive and defensive organizations in the hope of making them more adept at facing the digital threats of the 21st century, according to current and former officials.In place of the Signals Intelligence and Information Assurance directorates — the organizations that historically have spied on foreign targets and defended classified networks against spying, respectively — the NSA is creating a Directorate of Operations that combines the operational elements of each.

Russian President Vladimir Putin looks at a map of his country in his residence of Novo-Ogaryevo outside Moscow


Main News

Report: Record Number of Exonerations in US in 2015
Report finds record number of US exonerations in 2015 - WTOP
Report finds record number of US exonerations in 2015
A record number of people convicted of crimes were exonerated last year - The Washington Post
The staggering number of wrongful convictions in America - The Washington Post
How FBI blocks whistleblower fighting dismissal; new bill could help others - The Washington Post
In a first, judge grants retrial solely on FBI hair ‘match’ - The Washington Post
Shadowy Companies, Big Bucks: Election Mystery Money Returns - ABC News
Jimmy Carter: US politics corrupted by money – audio | US news | The Guardian
Jimmy Carter calls US campaign finance ruling 'legalised bribery' | US news | The Guardian
National Security Agency plans major reorganization - The Washington Post
NSA merging anti-hacker team that fixes security holes with one that uses them | US news | The Guardian
Audit uncovers flaws in U.S.'s 'EINSTEIN' cybersecurity program - SC Magazine
Kurdish Independence, Islamic State: Kurdish Leader Demands Non-Binding Referendum On Independence From Iraq (BREAKING) : News : Headlines & Global News
As Syria burns, Turkey’s Kurdish problem is getting worse - The Washington Post
The Ayatollah’s Drug Dealers - WSJ
The Ayatollah’s Drug Dealers - Google Search
hezbollah - Google Search

Reviews

News Roundup and Notes: February 3, 2016 | Just Security

US

Gallup: Red states now outnumber blue states
Facebook Is Changing How Your News Feed Works - ABC News

Security

The Pentagon’s Top Threat? Russia - The New York Times Editorial
Remarks by Secretary Carter on the Budget at the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Transcript View
U.S. & NATO Deterrence of Russia: Money and Resolve
If Russia Started a War in the Baltics, NATO Would Lose — Quickly | Foreign Policy
Poland Salutes Plan to Boost NATO Presence in Eastern Europe - ABC News
Montenegro to Force Troops to Join NATO Operations :: Balkan Insight
DNA traces found of U.S. Marines killed in helicopter crash off Hawaii | Reuters
Korea: The North Uses Biological Weapons Against The South
Fulltime Europe Border Controls Could Cost France Billions - The New York Times
Overnight Cybersecurity: Last-minute deal lets US-EU data flow | TheHill
Sexually Transmitted Zika Virus Case In US
Zika could inject fear back into sex - The Washington Post
The Past, Present, and Future of the Zika Virus - The Atlantic
Zika virus infection 'through sex' reported in US - BBC News
Are we alone in this universe? CIA documents reveal the truth - The Express Tribune
Libyan Failure: Why US Spies Losing to Their European, Russian Counterparts

Russia and FUSSR

10 maps that explain Russia's strategy - Business Insider
Putting Russia on the Map: Stratfor CEO's Analysis Makes Sudden Conclusion
After four months, Russia’s campaign in Syria is proving successful for Moscow - The Washington Post
Leadership: Russia Downsizes And Updates Its Playbook
Poroshenko: Russia trying to drive wedge between European states | News | DW.COM | 03.02.2016
Ukraine's Poroshenko sees increased risk of open war with Russia | Reuters
TASS: World - Ukrainian parliament fails to ratify agreement on opening NATO office in Ukraine
Railing Against Graft, a Georgian Leads Calls for a Cleanup in Ukraine - The New York Times
Ukrainian official resigns, says reform efforts blocked - The Washington Post
The Daily Vertical: Lies, Damn Lies, And Kremlin Statements
Putin's Out-of-Control Creature in Chechnya
Касьянов подал заявление в ФСБ на Кадырова: Политика: Россия: Lenta.ru
Новым начальником ГРУ назначен генерал Игорь Коробов : Вооруженные силы: Силовые структуры: Lenta.ru
Ъ-Газета - Вот Тула прилетела
Ъ-Газета - Чем известен Алексей Дюмин
Ъ-Газета - "Владимир Груздев подскажет, на какие вопросы обратить внимание в первую очередь"
Pussy Riot’s New Video Targets Corruption in Putin’s Russia | TIME

Middle East and Asia

Obama sits in back seat of Russia’s “shock and awe” drive in Syria
U.N. scrambles to sustain Syria talks; Russia vows to crush 'terrorists' | Reuters
Lavrov: Russian Airstrikes in Syria Will Continue Until Terrorists Defeated
Government offensive on Aleppo threatens Syria peace talks - The Washington Post
Syria conflict: Aleppo offensive threatens peace talks - BBC News
Syrian army, with Russian air support, attacks southern town of Athman
The Latest: Syrian opposition says aid delivery not enough - The Washington Post
Iraq building security wall around Baghdad: military commander | Reuters
Three Palestinians shot dead after carrying out attack in Jerusalem: police | Reuters
Palestinian Gunmen Wound 2 Israeli Officers and Are Killed - ABC News
Russian parliament's speaker arrives in Israel for official visit
Another Hamas tunnel collapses in Gaza; at least 3 killed
Procurement: Building Defenses Against The Tunnels Of Doom
Ambassador: US to Continue South China Sea Flights, Sail-bys

Accidents

One killed by blast that forced Somali emergency landing -officials
Man 'Sucked Out Of Plane' After Explosion 

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The Ayatollah’s Drug Dealers - WSJ

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U.S. law enforcement officials on Monday announced the arrests of several alleged leaders of a global drug-trafficking and money-laundering network with ties to Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The arrests are a reminder of the interconnections between organized crime and organized terror, and of Tehran’s links to both.
The arrests are part of a joint operation between the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and several European agencies that targeted Hezbollah’s Business Affairs Component. “Members of the BAC have established business relationships with South American drug cartels,” the DEA said in a statement. The cartels supply Western drug markets with cocaine, and BAC launders the proceeds and relays them to the Middle East.
Hezbollah uses its cut of the action to supplement the estimated $200 million it receives annually from Iran. Some of the money goes to the “social services” the group provides its captive Shiite constituents throughout Lebanon. It also funds a sophisticated military apparatus that is heavily engaged in fighting for the Assad regime in Syria. Israel estimates that Hezbollah has at least 100,000 rockets and guided missiles that can reach nearly any target in the Jewish state.
Hezbollah also continues to be a major perpetrator of international terrorism, despite occasional efforts to cast itself as a normal political party and defensive Lebanese force. In 2012 it carried out terrorist attacks against Israeli targets in Bulgaria, India and Thailand. Cypriot police in May discovered five tons of explosives in a safe house and arrested a Lebanese man whom Israeli officials believe is a Hezbollah operative.
Hezbollah will have fewer financial worries once it gets its share of the $100 billion payday that last year’s nuclear deal awarded the regime in Tehran. Lest anyone doubt the nature of that regime, look no further than what Monday’s arrests reveal about its choice of friends.
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